An HIV-positive man accused of fleeing the country after committing multiple sexual assaults was brought back to California on Friday to face charges.

According to KGO, Franklin Enrique Sarceño Orla, 35, is alleged to have assaulted between 19 and 60 men in Santa Clara County since 2018. Sarceño Orla reportedly escaped to Guatemala last year after being charged with raping a man and posting a bail of $250,000.

Working as a barber out of his Mountain View apartment, Sarceño Orla allegedly invited victims over for drinks. Many victims recounted losing consciousness after consuming beverages, only to awaken in his home, as reported by KGO.

In July 2024, a victim informed Mountain View police that he had shared beers with Sarceño Orla and later awoke feeling dizzy. Medical tests confirmed he had been sexually assaulted, prompting the initial charges against Sarceño Orla, as detailed by the Mountain View Voice.

Authorities suspect that Sarceño Orla continued his pattern of assault while on bail. Prosecutors also revealed his HIV-positive status but remain uncertain about when he contracted the virus.

Reports from the Mountain View Voice indicate that some victims are able to recall aspects of their assaults. Furthermore, law enforcement reportedly found evidence suggesting that Sarceño Orla recorded certain attacks.

KGO reported that some of the victims were Sarceño Orla’s clients, while others met him at a bar.

Denied bail on Monday, Sarceño Orla is charged with 43 felony counts of sexual assault. He is due back in court in January.

[Feature Photo: Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office]